Judicial Expert FACTS About Disastrous 50-50 Child Splitting "Premise" and Family/Alimony "Reform" Bill SB 668 by Esteemed Judge Robert M. Evans. THE TRUTH MATTERS - VETO SB 668

 

 

April 6, 2016

 

Dear Governor Scott: 

 

My name is Robert M. Evans.  I have served the State of Florida and the Ninth Judicial Circuit for over 20 years and recently retired in January of 2015.  During my tenure, I served primarily on the family bench.  To my knowledge, I have presided over more divorce cases than any other judge in the state of Florida.  I served as the administrative judge for the family divisions for 10 years in the Ninth Judicial Circuit and was appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court twice to serve on the Supreme Court’s Committee for Children and Families in the Courts. 

I am writing today regarding my concern for SB 668, which is currently on your desk for consideration.  Although this bill addresses several things which are overdue in the State of Florida, I fear that it will have a disastrous effect for many of the people in this state.  The “premise” that children split equal time between both parents before considering any factors related to the best interests of the children is actually contrary to the best interests of the children.  I have always approached the law that timesharing is principally for the benefit of the child or children and not necessarily for the benefit of the parents.  This “premise” reverses that.

 

I am also concerned that the guidelines which have been adopted by the legislature are not based on any facts or research, but rather on the individual prejudices of a few legislators.  The prospect of guidelines for judges in alimony cases may well be overdue, but once again, I fear that this bill will wreak havoc with some of Florida’s most vulnerable citizens.  Additionally, the mechanism for modifying alimony in this bill is one-sided and will create even more litigation than we presently experience. 

 I am not a member of any committee or organization and have no special interest in this piece of legislation other than my concern for the people of the State of Florida.  I gave up a considerable amount of future financial potential when I took the bench but was proud to serve the people of the State of Florida from 1995 – 2015.  I urge you to veto this piece of legislation until such time as a more balanced and reasoned approach is presented.

 

Thank you for your time and consideration.

 

Sincerely,

 

Robert M. Evans, Esq.

Retired Circuit Judge

 

 

Judge Robert M. Evans Credentials:  During his more than twenty years of service as a circuit judge in the Ninth Judicial Circuit of Florida, Bob Evans served on the criminal, domestic, domestic violence, juvenile, civil, and complex civil divisions.  He was the administrative judge in the family divisions for over ten of his twenty years.  He was the co-chair of the Orange County Blue Ribbon Task Force on Domestic Violence.  He was appointed by the Florida Supreme Court twice to serve on the Supreme Court Committee for Children and Families in the courts, where he served as the chair of the Child Support Subcommittee.  In 2000, Bob was appointed by the Governor to be the chair of The Florida Juvenile Justice Advisory Group.  Three years later, Bob was appointed by the United States Attorney General to serve on the Federal Juvenile Justice Advisory Group.  Bob has served as the president of the Central Florida Family Law Chapter of the American Inns of Court and as a member of the Central Florida Legal Aid Board of Trustees.  

 

While on the circuit bench, Bob served for many years on the Executive Committee and the Education Committee of the Florida Conference of Circuit Judges.  As a member of the Education Committee, he taught family law to the circuit judges of the state of Florida.  He established the “Family Ties” supervised visitation center and has taught adoption law as an adjunct professor at the Barry University College

  

THE TRUTH AND FACTS MATTER

GOV. SCOTT VETO SB 668!